Filling-machine.



Patented 1an. 9, |900.

J. & D. BAXTER.

FILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. l, 189B.y

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Patented Ian. 9, |9001. J. & D. BAXTER.

. FILLING MACHINE.

(Application led Sept. 1, 1899.)

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No. 040,987. Patented Ian. 9, |900. I. 0 0. BAXTER.

FILLING IIIAGIIINE.

` (Application filed Sept. 1, 1899.) l(No Modul.) 3 Sheets-Sheet'SI WTNESSES /N VEN TORS 7 JWM y JM BMM fn: Nonms PETERS co, Pnom'uwo. WASHINGTON, n. r.

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JAMES BAXTER AND DAVID BAXTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FILLING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,987, dated January 9, 1900.

Application filed September 1,1899. Serial No. 729,212. (No model.)

To tu whom it may concern: l Be it known that we, JAMES BAXTER an DAVID BAXTER, citizens of the United States, y

residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filling-Map chines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to that class of machines used for filling cans, bottles, and the like collectively and with uniform quantities of liquids; and the object of our invention is to provide an improved and simplified machine for the purpose stated characterized by valuable novel features for facilitating the filling of the machine from the reservoir quickly and without slopping or overiiow, for rendering uniform and certain the discharge from the machine to the individual cans, bottles, or other receptacles, for preventing drip and waste during the interval between the withdrawal of a filled set of cans, tbc., and the introduction of the next set of empty ones, and for performing other useful functions in connection with the operation of a device of this character; and our invention consists in the novel means and mechanism for carrying out these functions in a practical manner, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

A machine embodying our present invcntion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure lis a side elevation of our improved illingmachine, the same beingshown in position beneath a discharging spout or faucet. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the body of the machine de tached from its supporting-frame. Fig. 4 is an under view of the same, showing the reciprocating valve-strips and the means for retaining them in place. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on line as of Fig. 3, the valves being shown in their open position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of a stop device for limiting the movement of the valve-strips, taken on line .r2 et? of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on line x3 ms of Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a suitable supporting-frame, which carries at its top the receiving and meas uring tank of the apparatus, (designated by B.) This tank B is a plain rectangular metal casting, which is divided into a series of equalsized measuringcells by means of longitudinal and transverse partitionsband h,respectively. The bottom plate B `of this casting may be formed integral'therewith, if desired; but to facilitate cleaning of the machine when necessary it is preferably formed separate and securely bolted thereto, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The partitions b and b are cut out at their lower edges, as indicated at h2 and b3, respectively, for a purpose hereinafter disclosed. In the under face of the bottom plate B are formed a series of longitudinal grooves b5. These grooves correspond in number to the number of longitudinal series of cells, (four being herein shown,) each groove being arranged centrally beneath one of the series. Centrally through the bottom of each celland at the lowest point thereof is formed an aperture or port b, each of these ports opening at its lower end into one of the grooves b5, and the base or floor of each cell slopes downwardly uniformly from the line forming the base of each partition to the port in the center. Vithin each of the grooves h5 is a valve-strip C, accurately and snugly fitting the groove and adapted to reciprocate a short distance therein. Each valve-strip C is provided with a series ,of equally-spaced apertures or ports c, 'adapted when the valve-strip is at one limit of its throw to register with the ports h6 in the bottoms of the cells, as shown in Fig. 5. The valve-strips are secured at one end to a transverse tie-bar C', whereby they may be caused to operate in unison, and they are held snugly in place within the grooves b5 by means of a series of flat springs c', bolted at their centers to the under face of the bottom plate B', centrally between adjacent valve-strips C, as best shown in Figs. 4: and 5. These hat springs are maintained in a position at right angles to the valve-strips against any tendency of the latter through friction to displace them from such position by pins or lugs c2, arranged as shown.

The mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of the valve-strips C comprises a rockshaft D, mounted in bearings in brackets d d, secured to the front end of the casting B, a

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long arm E, securely bolted to a sleeve E', rigidly secured on the shaft D, and a pair of short arms or tappets e e, keyed on the ends of said shaft and having their outer ends passing through and1 engaging apertures c3, formed through the tie-bar C.

To the bottom of the base-plate B and near its front end is bolted a short forwardly-projecting plate B2, Figs. L and 6, having an upturned end B3, which is adapted to engage a set-screw O2, passing through the transverse tie-bar C', to form a stop to limit the outward play of the valve-strips C. Their inward play is of course limited by the contact of the inner edge of tie-bar C against the end of the base-plate B.

At the rear end of the machine is secured to the tank B, in any suitable manner, the overflow-basin F, provided with a spout f and adapted to catch any accidental overiiow of the material operated upon and carry it to the drip-bucket G.

Immediately beneath the receivingtank and its valve mechanism is arranged a drippan, (designated as a whole by H.) This drippan comprises a series of gutters h, extending longitudinally of the machine and secured together in parallel relation by a skeleton framework which rests at its opposite ends upon cross-bars t a on the supportingframe A. There are as many gutters h in the drip-pan H as there are longitudinal rows 0f cells, and the drip-pan is adapted to be slid back and forth laterally of the machine on the cross-bars d a by means of handles h h on opposite sides thereof, so as to bring the gutters alternately into and out of vertical alinement with the ports h6 and c. The gutters h all terminate at one end in a common spout h2 above the drip-bucket G.

Parallel with and at some distance beneath the cross-bars ct a, at opposite ends of the machine, are arranged two more cross-bars ct' a', each having a series of rollers a2 journaled therein and forming a track adapted to receive and support a box or case I, containing the cans J to be filled, said box or case being slid into position laterally from one side of the machine on the rollers a2 and withdrawn, after the 'cans have been filled, from the opposite side.

It is essential to the even and uniform lilling of all the cans that the receiving-tank of the machine be maintained perfectly level, so that the measuring-cells thereof will all fill equally, and to that end we equip each of the legs of the frame A with a vertical set-screw a3 at its lower end, whereby such adjustment can readily be secured in an obvious manner.

At K in Fig. l we have indicated a faucet which may tap, for instance, one of the large vats or reservoirs in a syrup or molasses factory, which vats or reservoirs contain the tinished product in a heated and freely-flowing state, and L indicates a cock for opening and closing the faucet.

In the operation of our improved machine it isplaced in position beneaththe faucet K and then adjusted by means of the set-screws d3, so that the receiving-tank B is perfectly level. This having been done and the arm E being in its raised position, Figs. 1, 2, and 7, whereby the ports h6 are closed by the valve-strips C, Figs. 3, 4:, and 7, an attendant on the left of the machine slides into position the box or case I, containing the cans J to be filled, which cans will of course correspond in number, capacity, and arrangement within the box to the measuring-cells in the receiving-tank. Immediatelyafterinserting the case of cans in receiving position the attendant slides the drip-pan H from the position shown in full lines, Figs. 2 and 5, to the position indicated in dotted lines, same figures. A second attendant, standing in front of the machine, then opens the cock L, and the hot liquid runs out into the receivingtank A, flowing freely from cell to cell through the cut-outs b2 and b3 in the Walls of the cells, thus filling the cells simultaneously and more quickly and with less slopping than in the old way, where all the cells, except that one directly beneath the faucet, had each to be filled in turn by the overflow from an adjacent cell or cells. When all the cells have been filled just even full, the operator closes the faucet K, and then drawing the long arm E in ay downward direction, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, he thereby operates the valve-strips C in a direction to cause all the ports c to simultaneously register With the ports h6, as indicated in Fig. 5. The syrup or other liquid then Hows quickly and evenly from the cells into the cans beneath, at the conclusion of which operation the arm E is again actuated, this time in the opposite direction, the valve-strips C are drawn outwardly,and the ports hare all simultaneously closed. A third attendant on the opposite or right-hand side of the machine then pushes the drip-pan H back into receiving position directly beneath the valve-strips C in order to catch in the gutters h any drip from the valve-strips and then withdraws from the right-hand side of the machine the case of filled cans to be sealed and marked for delivery. Another case of empty cans is then slid into place by the operator on the left, and the above-described operation is thereupon repeated.

It will be noticed that the ports be and c are not of uniform and equal diameter from top to bottom of their respective plates, but that they taperinwardly slightly from top to bottom. We found by experiment that where these ports were simply drilled in uniform diameter from top to bottom through the base-plate B and the valve-strips C at the instant they began to register the liquid instead of running directly downward into the cans would tend to spurt sidewise to such an extent as sometimes to miss the cans altogether, thus producing a slight waste and incomplete filling of the cans. After repeated IOO IIO

experiments to overcome this fault we found that by tapering inwardly the sides of the apertures or ports h6 and c uniformly from the top of b to the bottom of c this tendency of the liquid to spurt sidewise was entirely counteracted. y

With reference to the cut-outs b2 and bin the partitions b and ZJ', respectively, it might perhaps seem at rst thought that they would tend to impair, if not to destroy, the measuring capacity of the individual cells; but Where care is taken to grind the ports h6 and c to exactly equal sizes and to perfect registration in all the cells, and where the liquid operated on is properly prepared, so as to be of even and uniform consistency and viscosity, We have failed to detect in repeated experiments the slightest unevenness or irregularity in the filling of the cans. On the other hand, the advantages of these cut-outs in facilitating the rapid iilling of the cells and obviating unnecessary overflow and waste have already been alluded to and are too obvious to need detailed explanation.

The function of the drip-pan I-I is of course to catch in the gutters /z any drippings that may adhere to the valve-strips C after a set of cans has been filled and the valve-strips have been drawn to their closing position and to pass such drippings off to the bucket- G through a common nozzle h2.

lrVhile our improved machine, as hereinabove described, has been designed primarily for use in canning such manufactured products as syrups and molasses, it is not limited in its use and capability to those products, but may be advantageously employed in connection with the packing of a great variety of manufactured products which are put up in liquid form, as paints, oils, &c. The size of the ports h and c will in each case be regulated by the consistency and viscosity of the product which is to be run through it, these ports being made relatively large for a thick viscous slow-runnin g liquid and smaller for a thin mobile freely-owing liquid.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a fillingmachine, the combination with a suitable supporting-frame, of a receiving-tank carried thereby, said tank being divided into a series of equal-sized measuringcells by longitudinal and transverse partitions, said cells each having a valve-controlled port centrally located in its base and at the lowest point thereof, and the base 0r floor of each cell sloping downwardly and uniformly from the line forming the base of each partition to the port in the center, and each and every partition between adjacent cells having an unvalved passage-way formed along its lower edge, whereby each cell of the series is at all times in free communication with all the cells by which it is bounded through said unvalved passage-ways, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a liillingmachine, the combination with a suitable supporting-frame, of a receiving-tank carried thereby, said tank being divided into a series of equal-sized measuringcells by longitudinal and transverse partitions, said cells each having a port in its base, and said tank being provided also with parallel grooves formed in the under face of its base-plate centrally beneath parallel rows of cells, into which grooves the ports of the cells open, a series of ported valve-strips adapted to reciprocate in said grooves to control the opening and closing of the ports of the cells, a series of Hat springs bolted at their centers to the under face of the base-plate centrally between adjacent valve-strips and bearing at their ends against said valve-strips to hold them firmly to their seats in the grooves, said flat springs forming the only support'of said valve-strips, and means for effecting the simultaneous reciprocation of the valve-strips, substantially as described.

3. In a filling-machine, the combination with a suitable supporting-frame, of a receiving-tank carried thereby, said tank being divided into a series of equal-sized measuringcells by longitudinal and transverse partitions, said cells each having a port in its base, and said tank being provided also with parallel grooves formed in the under face of its base-plate centrally beneath parallel rows of cells, into which grooves the ports of the cells open, a series of ported valve-strips adapted to reciprocate in said grooves to control the opening and closing of the ports of the cells, a series of flat springs bolted at their centers to the under face of the base-plate centrally between adjacent valve-strips and bearing at their ends against said val-ve-strips to hold them firmly to their seats in the grooves, said at springs forming the only support of said valve-strips, means for retaining said lat springs in a position at right angles to said valve-strips against any tendency of the latter through friction to displace them from such position, and means for effecting the simultaneous reciprocation of the valve-strips, substantially as described.

4. In a filling-machine, the combination with the receiving-tank divided into a series of measuring-cells, and having parallel grooves formed in the under face of its baseplate centrally beneath parallel rows of cells, of a series of valve-strips adapted to reciprocate in said grooves, said cells and valvestrips being provided with ports adapted to be thrown into and out of register by the reciprocation of the valve-strips, said ports both IOO IIO

in the cells and valve-strips being formed v with inwardly-tapering sides from top to bottom, as and for the purpose described.

5. In a filling -machine, the combination with the receiving-tank divided into a series of measuring-cells, and having parallel grooves formed in the under face of its baseplate centrally beneath parallel rows of cells, of a series of valve-strips adapted to reciprocate in said grooves, said cells and Valvestrips being provided with ports adapted to be thrown into and out of register by the reciprocation of the valve-strips, and mechanism for effecting the'reciprocation ofthe Valvestrips comprising a transverse tie-bar securing the Valve-strips together at one end, a rock-shaft mounted on the head of the tank, along arm keyed on said rock-shaft whereby the same may be rocked` and short arms or tappets also keyed on the rock-shaft and at their outer ends engaging the tie-bar through suitable apertures in the same, substantially as described.

6. In a filling-machine, the combination with a suitable supporting-frame of a receiving-tank carried thereby, said tank being divided into a series of measuring-cells arranged in parallel rows, Valve mechanism arranged in the bottoms of said cells for controlling the discharge therefrom, and a skeleton drippan carried by the supporting-frame immediately beneath the tank, said drip-pan comprising a series of gutters rigidly held in parallel relation and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance between the parallel rows of valves and discharging at one end through a common nozzle, and adapted to be slid back and forth laterally in a horizontal plane alternately into and out of position to catch the drip from the valves, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foreging as our invention we hereunto sign our names, this 28th day of August, 1899, in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES BAXTER. DAVID BAXTER.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, J. K. LAMBERT. 

